Elections Committee chairman Judge Noam Solberg yesterday sent an official letter to Shin Bet chief David Zini and instructed him to open an investigation on alleged foreign funding and bribery in the Knesset elections by Qatar, N12 reported this morning. The letter follows the presentation of information, described as "exceptionally grave" by Zini to Solberg.
The suspicion being investigated is that large sums were funneled from Qatar to increase voter turnout in the Arab sector through illegal means.
In the letter, the judge noted that serious allegations had been brought to his attention about improper influence exerted through foreign funding, provided by external actors working against Israeli interests, with the aim of affecting the election results. It has now emerged that these suspicions point toward Qatar.
The suspicion concerns Qatari funds, some of which allegedly moved through channels previously used to funnel money for terrorism. The information provided by Zini was substantial and left Judge Solberg in a state of shock.
It is important to emphasize that it was not the Likud party that submitted this request to Zini. Rather, this involves intelligence gathered by the Shin Bet, necessitating a criminal investigation and the exercise of the Shin Bet’s statutory powers.
"I cannot attest to the nature of these suspicions; however, given that they involve external actors, it is imperative that they be thoroughly investigated, both to safeguard the integrity of the Knesset elections and to prevent illegal activity aimed at undermining the democratic order or fostering subversion," the judge wrote, without specifying which foreign entity allegedly interfered in the elections or purportedly offered bribes to any of the parties involved.
Solberg further instructed Zini explicitly: "I direct you to do everything in your power to get to the bottom of these suspicions, utilizing the resources of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) to uncover evidence that either substantiates or refutes them. Only in this way can we ensure public trust in the electoral process and the integrity of our democratic system."
Justice Solberg requested that the findings of the investigation, if any, be presented to him within one week, a deadline necessitated by the timeline for the vote count.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on October 29, 2026.
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